Composition guide



Jan. 27, 1953 B. ABBOTT 2,626,467

COMPOSITION GUIDE:

Filed Aug. 28. 1947 BY W HTTORNEYS Patented Jan. 27, 1953 UNITED STATS CUMPOSITION .GIHDE Application August 28, 1947, Serial No. 771,085

(Cl. 35u26) El Claims.

The present invention relates to composition guides for use by photographers, both amateur and professional, for aiding in pre-determining the eld to be encompassed by the picture.

It is the general object of the present invention to provide a simple and inexpensive device, with which a, photographer may obtain an idea of the appearance of a selected field or area to be photographed and to select a preferred composition for the picture prior to the taking thereof.

It is a further object of the invention to provide a composition guide of the type indicated which is readily adjustable both to make it useful for films of different sizes and also to insure that a desired field falls within the area covered by the picture.

A still further object of the invention is to pro- Vido a composition guide formed of two identical elements so that only a single die will be necessary for such as sheet metal, fiber board, plastic or the like.

A preferred embodiment of the invention is illustrated in the accompanying drawing wherein Fig. 1 is a top plan view of a device constructed in accordance with the invention, the parts being shown in the extreme position wherein they ex pose the largest opening;

Fig. 2 is a section taken alongr Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a view similar to Fig. l but showing the parts in different position to expose a smaller opening of different shape than that of Fig. l; and

Fig. 4 is a section taken along the line -l of Fig. 3.

Referring position guide is the une 2 2 of to the drawing, my improved comcompcsed of two right-angular members iii and Il which are structurally identical with each other. As a result, they can both be stamped from sheet material with the same die. The legs of the right-angle members are designated as Illa, Ib, and Ha, lib, respectively. Each of the legs Ib and lib has stru-ck therefrom, preferably along its median line, the strap i2 or I3 respectively, the strap being of a length considerably larger than the width of the legs I lla or l la, for a purpose to be explained hereinafter.

It will be seen from Figs. 1 and 3 that corresponding legs of the members It and Il' can be slid under the straps of the other member to form a Kind of frame through which an area to be photographed can be viewed. By placing the guide close to one eye, the photographer can scan the region to be photographed and can pre-destamping the parts out of sheet material '-2 termine which framed area will desirable picture, and `can insure field or object will fall within the area of the picture. The members it and l loan be shifted relative to each other so as to frame desired areas of give the most that a desired different shapes, and to insure that the exposed opening will always be rectangular in shape, suitable graduations ifi can be provided cn one or both of the members lil, li. These graduations are preferably arranged along the inner edges of the members; and if desired, they can also be arranged along the outer edges of one or both memv bers as shown at l5, in order to insure that the leg of one member is in right-angular relationship to the adjacent leg of the other member.

To prevent separation of the two members after they have been assembled the leg of each member passing under the strap of the other member is provided with a stop Iii, preferably in the form of a knob or bead struck from the body of such member and located near to the free end of such leg. The distance between the inside surface of the strap and the surface of the leg from which it is struck is no greater than, and is preferably less than, the thickness of the sheet material of which the members are made, so that the two members are frictionally held together by a spring action. It will be understood that the straps can be lifted sufficiently t0 enable the stops I6 to clear them for assembling or disassembling the parts.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided a composition guide of great Versatility and of compact and light construction; and further that the same can be manufactured at low cost and can be conveniently carried in the pocket.

While I have shown the right-angle members as being frictionally held to each other by means of strap elements struck from the body thereof, it will be understood that such strap elements or their equivalents need not be integral with the body of said members, but may be separate parts secured to the right-angle members in any suitable way. it will be obvious that the device can be manufacture-:l from sheet material of any suitable kind, such as metals like steel, aluminum, etc., or from fiber board, plastic resinous materials of various kinds, etc.

Iclaim:

l. A composition. guide composed solely of two substantially identical members of L -shape, each of said members having a strap element along one leg thereof struck from the body of such member and at slightly raised relation thereto,

the other leg of each member being capable of being slid underneath the strap of the other member to form a. rectangular opening therebetween, the height of the space by which each strap is raised from the surface of the leg from which it is struck being no greater than the thickness of said members so that the members are frictionally held in adjusted position to form a self-locking structure, the length of the strap being considerably greater than the width of the associated leg and extending from approximately the apex of the angle to nearly the end of the leg, there being markings on at least one of the members to facilitate adjustment of the members to a right-angular relation.

2. A composition guide comprising two identical substantially flat members of L-shape, the legs of which are at right angles to each other, each of said members having a relatively narrow strap element along one leg thereof, struck from the body of such member and in slightly raised relation thereto, said strap element extending from approximately the apex of the angle to nearly the end of the leg, the other leg of each member being capable of being slid underneath the strap of the other member, to be frictionally '4 held thereby to form a self-locking structure having a rectangular opening framed by said members, said members being shiftable relative to each other against the frictional resistance of the straps for varying the size of the opening.

3. A composition guide as set forth in claim 2, including stop means in the form of raised knobs at the end of each of the legs of said members passing beneath the strap of the other member.

BERENICE ABBOTT.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the le of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 855,121 McCormick May 28, 1907 1,183,977 Hoeiie May 23, 1916 1,248,695 Morris Dec. 4, 1917 1,646,868 Newlands et al. Oct. 25, 1927 2,221,609 Sanger Nov. l2, 1940 FOREIGN PATENTS Number Country Date 161,585 Switzerland 1 July 17, 1933 

